The Barbadian Broadband consumers maybe interested in a recent development in the United Kingdom. A Code of Practice has been implemented which seeks to better inform broadband consumers the line speeds they believe they are subscribing to. We had a look at the list of Net providers in the UK and we don’t see C&W signed on.
What are we missing?
Although there will be no penalties arising from the code of practice, it is commendable that the net providers in the UK sees merit in collaborating on an initiative which places the customer at the centre of the objective. Hopefully the providers in Barbados would adopt the approach of their sister companies in the UK, Barbadians are customers too.
Cable and Wireless has the lion share of the Broadband market in Barbados which makes it difficult to mirror 100% what is happening in the UK, however the desire to be transparent and to put steps in place to fully satisfy customers is a lesson still to be learnt.
LIME tell us what is a realistic broadband speed to expect please!
Thanks to the people over at KoolBarbados.
114 responses so far ↓
xenophobe chick // December 4, 2008 at 10:28 PM
I’ve given up hurting my head by trying to get any (ANY) information about anything (ANYTHING) from Cable & Wireless in Barbados.
But I do remember seeing a BBC programme about education in Africa where the remotest villages had high-speed wireless Internet access.
If it’s possible there – why not here?
Tell me Why // December 4, 2008 at 10:30 PM
First of all, LIME must recall all those Siemens SE587 Wlan inferior modems that might soon become a fire hazard. Sooner rather than later, one of those equipment might cause a house or business to burn, probably, it may have already started. My neighbour’s modem has melted out of shape due to the intense heat. I have to unplug my modem regularly due to the heat, causing it to go off-line.
TheTrashHeap // December 4, 2008 at 10:31 PM
They are throttling speeds during certain hours. Seems like between 5pm and 12am they throttle you down to less than half the speed you are paying for and this has been happening for weeks now. So if you watch a lot of streaming video then wait til after 12 at night.
Krzysztof Skubiszewski // December 4, 2008 at 10:42 PM
@ TheTrashHeap
You’re the lucky one. They’ve been throttling me at all times of the day and night for weeks.
And as xenophobe chick says, you can never get a reasonable explanation from LIME. The only one they gave me was completely unreasonable. They told me they can’t guarantee published speeds because so many factors affect them.
But they still charge full rates and won’t even discuss reducing their bill for weeks of unacceptable performance.
Tourism Monkey // December 5, 2008 at 12:46 AM
I just wish that they could connect me at home. Been trying for weeks to get an answer concerning that.
We need to have another landline/internet provider!
David // December 5, 2008 at 2:31 AM
If the modems LIME is distributing are below par shouldn’t subscribers be able to go online and do some research? It’s time to stop griping and take definitive action!
NO MORE MARINAS EVER AGAIN // December 5, 2008 at 9:00 AM
@ David
Here’s a page discussing DSL broadband.
http://www.broadbandinfo.com/internet-access/dsl/default.html
You’ll see buying a modem is not like buying toothpaste. And since C & W have a stranglehold monopoly on our broadband in Barbados there’s almost nothing we can do to get better service.
Especially since they treat us like lepers.
In my many years of suffering bad customer service I’ve never seen anything as bad as C & W. They should be ashamed of their perpetual uncooperativeness.
But of course they aren’t.
The Scout // December 5, 2008 at 9:26 AM
LIME is just a name change but to me the system has gotten worse. We are being taken for a ride because we would just complain. LIME is giving us the worse serviceat the most expensive prices. We continue to support them, so why should they change?
BAFBFP // December 5, 2008 at 9:47 AM
Surprise Chris hasn’t thrown something into this pool as yet.
I have a question.
Has changing of the Corp name got anything to do with clearing the way for making a large number of C&W’s staff redundant? Is it not possible that creating this LIME thing was done solely for this reason?
The Scout // December 5, 2008 at 10:02 AM
BAFBFP
I agree with you. Now it appears very obvious. This region needs to tell LIME in no uncertain terms to stop raping the caribbean or get out.
David // December 5, 2008 at 10:06 AM
@NO MORE MARINAS EVER AGAIN
Thanks for the link!
What is confirms is that we need good customer service by the provider to ensure a good ADSL service. Secondly the truth in advertising by C&W concerning ADSL needs to be improved. It is not enough to advertise the levels which the broadband speeds will ‘burst’. Lastly LIME needs to create a, adsl distribution chart which can give subscribers an idea of the kind of service to expect given their location from the switch i.e. denigration
@BAFBFP
You probably missed it but LIME is a separately incorporated company, it is not just a name change. Logically what this means is that employees of C&W will have to be reemployed by LIME. If we are wrong we hope to be corrected soon!
TheTrashHeap // December 5, 2008 at 10:16 AM
I think you are correct with that one. If a trick is in it then they will offer to take you including your years or an option of a pay out. Some companies do this though and automatically transfer workers over to the new entity without the option, like how is done in mergers.
xenophobe chick // December 5, 2008 at 10:31 AM
David
How’s this for definitive action?
I accuse C & W and/or LIME of criminal price gouging.
Right now my Internet speeds are way down. Some websites won’t open and I can’t stream anything without constant breaks.
So I called the number a C & W employee gave me to use if my broadband problems persist.
AND I GET A RECORDING SAYING THE NUMBER I’M CALLING ISN’T VALID.
M // December 5, 2008 at 11:36 AM
Tell me Why // December 4, 2008 at 10:30 pm
First of all, LIME must recall all those Siemens SE587 Wlan inferior modems that might soon become a fire hazard. Sooner rather than later, one of those equipment might cause a house or business to burn, probably, it may have already started. My neighbour’s modem has melted out of shape due to the intense heat. I have to unplug my modem regularly due to the heat, causing it to go off-line
Take those modems back to LIME and tell the customer service person in no uncertain terms that you aren’t taking that fire hazard back into your home, if your house burns who will replace it certainly not those LIMERS.
Can’t the Fair Trading Commission or some other government agency be contacted about those fire hazards. Time for us to stop accepting inferior products as the norm from “big” businesses
TheTrashHeap // December 5, 2008 at 2:35 PM
I bought myself a Dlink DSL modem and it works flawlessly, never crashes etc. No matter how good your modem is, if the pricks are throttling your speeds then it makes no sense. I pay for 2mbs and I get around 512 between 5pm and 12am religiously, the speeds do no vary it is a fixed top speed so it is ISP throttling. Idiots throttle me when I use the net the most.
Adrian Hinds // December 5, 2008 at 3:18 PM
What make and model (exact Model no.) does LIME issue for use with it’s DSL service?
BAFBFP // December 5, 2008 at 4:48 PM
David,
I missed nothing. You are saying exactly the same thing as me. And thanks to Scoute for the afirmation.
David // December 5, 2008 at 8:28 PM
We have been receiving emails from some BU family members that LIME had a nation wide drop in Internet service for about 20 minutes this evening. Would be good to get a confirmation and use this outage to analyze and even find out what caused it.
David // December 5, 2008 at 8:36 PM
Adrian check out this link to the Cable & Wireless Website which gives some information on the modem.
.22 // December 5, 2008 at 8:37 PM
Chris Halsall would be sighing again right? =\
twwifos // December 5, 2008 at 9:02 PM
Anyone interested in checking their connection speeds can go to:
http://www.speedtest.net/mini.php
Just checked mine…..
1131 download
330 upload
Is this the “high speed” that we keep hearing about?
.22 // December 5, 2008 at 9:58 PM
@ David “We have been receiving emails from some BU family members that LIME had a nation wide drop in Internet service for about 20 minutes this evening. Would be good to get a confirmation and use this outage to analyze and even find out what caused it.”
The connection outage for me was lengthy here in Eastern St George. I couldn’t get on for the entire last night and into the next evening when it came back on finally when I got home. I would like to see the bill at the end of Christmas to see if any credit is given to us for lost service.
Barbados needs to open the Telecommunications Market so that other competitors can come into the island to offer their Internet Services so that we just don’t have to ‘rely’ on them and their mediocre services; we have something to choose from. We may need more than 3 ISPs. 5 ISPs will do for this country in both Residential and Business like.
There are 3 major ISPs on this Island one of them is using C&W’s platform (Sunbeach). Freemotion/TeleBarados is using Wireless. Cable & Wireless uses their DSL services and its widely serving nearly every Residential and Buisnesses. All of them are high-priced for less-speed.
Q: Is the FTC gone silent on the public again? Aren’t they?
Q: Is the necessity of these high-prices for these packages being questioned? These should be answered by them. Especially approaching to where the economy is at risk of a slowdown.
—
@TheTrashHeap
“They are throttling speeds during certain hours. Seems like between 5pm and 12am they throttle you down to less than half the speed you are paying for and this has been happening for weeks now. So if you watch a lot of streaming video then wait til after 12 at night.”
C&W is on the blacklist as a bad ISP for what you have mentioned. http://azureuswiki.com/index.php/Bad_ISPs#Barbados
Bandwidth throttling should be made ‘illegal’ in my Opinion for these kinds of practices. That is ‘depriving the customer’ of his bandwidth and access to the Internet (rights).
Comcast got busted for that by the FCC and now the U.S cable giant Comcast wanted to sue the FCC and placed a bandwidth cap on their customers. They’ve brought themselves into anti-competitive territory if they upset their own customers since that bandwidth cap. The result: they’ll lose customers in the process to other major competitors.
Al I think for sure is this question:
*are there any telecommunication laws to police these kinds of actions made by ISPs that are conducting procedures that will result of deprivation of the customer’s connectivity? (Insert ‘agreed the terms and his/her rights’?)
—
@Tell Me Why:
Its recommended that you buy D-Link or Linksys routers and a Linksys DSL modem from DE Computers. You’ll get near Advertised speeds if the Internet traffic isn’t heavy or the ISP is having technical difficulties.
The Siemens Router Cable and Wireless recommended for us customers must be a joke.
* It is, as you said, gets really hot.
* I get constant Red lights that caused me to restart the router.
* Still yet again, DSL Line still crackling (yaddah, yaddah that’s C&W’s problem) *sigh*
—
twwifos: “Just checked mine…..
1131 download
330 upload
Is this the “high speed” that we keep hearing about?”
http://barbadosfreepress.wordpress.com/2007/07/16/barbados-internet-no-bargain-compared-with-the-rest-of-the-world-double-and-triple-cost/
Answer: No, it is not fast not where near Cable or Fiber-Optic which is way faster than what we use. ‘Not even DSL or Wireless is a match for Cable or FiOS.’
Cable can delivers up to 15-40mbps, FiOS (Fiber Optic) up to 50-100mbps if you use the service. DSL can stretch up to 30mbps (if it is using ADSL2). Our DSL could have gone further to 3mbps or deep into 10mbps range. (If they have the network and equipment worked out)
Start writing letters to the Minister of Telecommunications and to Consumer Affairs to open up this Telecoms market and get the laws enforced.
—
Let us wait now until Mr. Halsall arrives and make his suggestions and comments.
.22 // December 5, 2008 at 10:07 PM
@Tell Me Why
It is recommended to Buy ‘Linksys’ or ‘D-Link’ brand routers and Modems. They’d work pretty much better. I’ve never seen C&W for this lackluster recommendation. Gee, so as their Zhone based product right?
The Siemens Router should be put in a fridge… lol
Can’t tell for sure if the service is the problem at the moment. But as usual it looks so.
BAFBFP // December 5, 2008 at 10:24 PM
I lost internet this evenig too
Chris Halsall // December 5, 2008 at 11:32 PM
Yes — I also lost Internet today. Interestingly, my SSH connections continued, but no new sessions could be initiated.
This suggests this wasn’t a nominal outage, but rather an issue with some other device, such as a “deep packet inspector”…
What more is there to say?
Until we stand up, and take the “risk” of buying services from the available competitors, nothing will change. Our politicians aren’t looking out for us; LIME certainly isn’t.
Bend over… Think of England…
Krzysztof Skubiszewski // December 6, 2008 at 12:45 AM
It’s Friday 5 December 2008 at 23:38 hr and my Internet connection throughout today has been so erratic I appeal to whoever oversees communications in the government to make a public statement about how long we have to tolerate this scandalous C&W service.
Forced to pay outrageous fees for such intermittent performance it borders on government-sanctioned extortion.
The government must make its position clear.
David // December 6, 2008 at 1:01 AM
We are sure that Chris will repeat that what C&W is doing is what other providers around the world do. But we know that C&W aka LIME’s broadband infrastructure is woefully inadequate to quell the demand. Isn’t this something the FTC would be receptive to hearing about Chris/ROK?
Chris Halsall // December 6, 2008 at 1:21 AM
@David et al…
With respect, the FTC doesn’t care. LIME aren’t breaking the law in this particular case…
Hell, even when LIME does break the law, the FTC doesn’t *really* care…
General Lee // December 6, 2008 at 9:16 AM
In spite of all that has been said about LIME (C&W), hundreds if not thousands are eagerly awaiting installation of LIME’s “broadband”services.
At least we can say they are very good at marketing. The other providers need to match this.
BAFBFP // December 6, 2008 at 10:38 AM
I get a couple posts on BFP hah. Had to, the topic for a change was relevent. But dey catch me. (Of course I know that dey really can’ keep yah out)
But again I will say with conviction, the name change has more to do with the mass layoff than any real attempt at an improvement in service or image or anything but the bottom line.
me // December 6, 2008 at 9:47 PM
A letter in today Nation complaining about sour LIME call center caught my eye. The letter writer is on the ball and one has to ask apart from gas stations is there any worse customer service than at sour LIME.
With the call center firing Bajans and moving to St.Lucia we are in for a rough time. Anyone who travels to OECS islands knows those folk are not keen on Barbados and would love to see us taken down several pegs. The envy effect is in full effect. As the letter writer indicates calls for info to the call center will be exercises in futility.
The writer said the woman at the St. Lucia call center not only could not find a number for Harrisons Cave she had never heard of the Cave. Stupzzz!
David // December 7, 2008 at 3:09 AM
C&W sending home people at the start of an economic downturn will not generate good PR for sure. Julien Rodgers will have his work cut our. Imagine all the years they would have soaked profits up from Barbados and the other islands and not demonstrate no loyalty to the market.
But this is the beast, the company must fulfill its master, the shareholders. It will be hard for the union to stop the move.
BAFBFP // December 7, 2008 at 6:07 AM
The masters of the company are the “Principal Shareholders” and senior high priced executives; not the share holders (ask anyone from BS&T)
Bitter Limer // December 8, 2008 at 8:42 AM
@ All
The worst thing to do is piss off the people who know all your dirty secrets and the LIME workers know nuff a dem.
Yes those modems you are being issued with are not the best. The zhone modems which LIME flooded the market with after the their technicians advised them not to was a disaster. A technician explained to me that customers will always get problmes while those modems are connected to the network, for some reason those zhone modems issued caused a myriad of problems for them. The have now switched to siemens SE 587 or 204, these too are inferior and we are now wondering why LIME has decided to replace an inferior product with another one.
Many of you when taking home these modems will be greeted with a modem registration page, this does not work and it has not been working for a while so you go through the entire process only to be greeted by an error message.
When you get the new SE 587 don’t be surprised when you get countless error messages stating that “this user is logged on already” or your DSL light may be on steady green while your online light is red and you have constant problems browsing. Or maybe your protocol has been updated to PPOE and now you have countless issues with your service. For weeks the technicians have not been able to get these problems resolved. .
Now the market is being flooded with what appears to me to be flawed equipment yet again have you noticed a drop in service? Over the past few weeks have you noticed slower speeds, frequent outages or more frequent dropped connections?….I have, even though I do not have one of these new modems.
From what I understand it is not only the modems that are causing the problem but the new equipment being rolled out @ all the exchanges which will allow more DSL capacity and more money. The technicians also have great problems with this.
What is wrong with LIME? why do they keep cutting cost in this way? Fixing problems constantly is only damaging their image and ending up being more costly in the end. These people can’t be that foolish it must be something deliberate.
Bitter Limer // December 8, 2008 at 8:45 AM
Could it be that cutting cost by purchasing inferior equipment = meeting end of year results = big bonuses for execs? By the time the problems get out of hand these big ups are rich and gone…on to another job wid a whole wash a money. leaving the C&W issues behind. Recently none of them have stayed for more than 3 years. It is quite interesting.
Equity // December 8, 2008 at 10:18 AM
BU, that should be “Enforces” not “Inforces”.
David // December 8, 2008 at 11:08 AM
Thanks Equity!
JC // December 8, 2008 at 3:17 PM
hear~! hear!
————————————————————–
Krzysztof Skubiszewski // December 6, 2008 at 12:45 am
It’s Friday 5 December 2008 at 23:38 hr and my Internet connection throughout today has been so erratic I appeal to whoever oversees communications in the government to make a public statement about how long we have to tolerate this scandalous C&W service.
Forced to pay outrageous fees for such intermittent performance it borders on government-sanctioned extortion.
The government must make its position clear.
Straight talk // December 8, 2008 at 5:33 PM
Is everyone experiencing this on-off crappy internet connection i have had for the last week.
WTF am I paying through the nose for?
Ringing “your service has been disabled” LIME gets you, after half an hour wait, some clueless operative (literal not figurative, no offence intended ) saying they have a general problem and they don’t know exactly when it will be fixed.
Well, you know what, I agree with them, but I think it will only be fixed when the GoB through FTC or some other entity says smarten your act up or go take tour expensive piss poor service back to England and see if you can make money there, LOL, and we’ll try a proper telecom outfit.
As for laying off 250 staff, I’d say the reverse is necessary, double the call centre staff merely to deal promptly with the genuine concerns of customers complaining of the diabolical service.
trouble tree // December 8, 2008 at 8:03 PM
JC
I think that static from your locks and big bottom is affecting your internet service………..murder!
BAFBFP // December 8, 2008 at 8:24 PM
I have rebooted my modem a million times, and my pc half a million times, circumvented the telephone line filter about a quarter of a million times and complained to the company once. It’s good now that I know that I am not the only one experiencing this crap.
BAFBFP // December 8, 2008 at 8:25 PM
trouble tree
JC got a big bottom?
David // December 8, 2008 at 8:52 PM
A question to the Limers aka former C&W employees. The fact that you would have known about the decision by C&W to rollout inferior equipment what does this say about the employees? Didn’t you think you had a responsibility to alert your union or FTC?
To C&W aka LIME, if you know that there is a project to upgrade or build out infrastructure which would impact service quality shouldn’t you have don’t the ethical thing by issuing a full public disclosure?
Chris Halsall // December 8, 2008 at 9:04 PM
@BU.David… With respect…
You are asking too much…
Everyone today is only out for themselves… No one is (or, at least, *very* few are) prepared to stand up…
(To quote Gilliam’s Brazil: “…it could affect your credit rating…”.)
What part of this don’t you get? (And we are all doomed to hell because of it….)
Krzysztof Skubiszewski // December 8, 2008 at 10:34 PM
It’s Monday 8 December at 21:27 hr and my download NON-SPEED is even less than my ‘half of what I’m paying for” upload speed.
And has been around this nonsense all day.
Imagine waiting an hour to fill a cup with water trickling in from the BWA.
It’s the same thing and it sucks.
Chris Halsall // December 8, 2008 at 10:47 PM
@Skubiszewski…
And what are *you* going to do about it?
This is a serious question….
Krzysztof Skubiszewski // December 8, 2008 at 11:06 PM
I’m gonna’ watch NFL Football in Spanish.
Seriously THERE IS NOTHING TO BE DONE!!!!
I’ve spoken to C&W legal people and they have pages of small print to flummox us.
C&W will do nothing unless they’re forced to by law.
Any suggestions?
Technician // December 8, 2008 at 11:33 PM
@ Bitter Limer…..
To use Bush Tea’s words…what technicians what????
Most of them dont even have T1 from City & Guild or any piece of papers from SJPP !!
.22 // December 9, 2008 at 12:06 AM
@Krzysztof Skubiszewski
Try FreeMotion Internet services if its available in your area. At least that is an alternative.
@Krzysztof Skubiszewski: “C&W will do nothing unless they’re forced to by law.”
I’ll make a minor quote and I did hear it: “The FTC has gone silent” as Tony Marshall indicated on Brasstacks a month or 2 ago.
As Mr. Halsall said earlier and it is true they were and are Silent on the Public.
JC // December 9, 2008 at 1:06 AM
Trouble tree wha you know bout me ha haha haha
BAFBFP // December 9, 2008 at 2:02 AM
JC, you got a big bottom?
Bitter Limer // December 9, 2008 at 8:30 AM
@ David…do you really think it is as easy as that? We go and level accusations at the company with what kind of proof? The complaints of customers? Customers need to take on the fight by themselves.
Technician // December 9, 2008 at 8:45 AM
This Bitter Limer confusing me…..
You state that the modems are inferior, now you want the customers to take the fight to LIME?
Where is your conscience?
If you know this and do nothing then you are just as bad as your employer.
Maybe you dont want to lose out on that fat payout with all the trimmings.
So either shut up and stop whining or do something to save the customers money.
I think you are only here now talking shit because the axe is about to fall……but trust me…I would know ….ya aint going home broke guy.
David // December 9, 2008 at 8:47 AM
@Bitter Limer
Agree with you partially.
In the USA and other developed countries employees routinely leak information to the public which is then investigated by others with a vested interest.
Remember that we are all in it together, nothing comes without a price.
Chris Halsall // December 9, 2008 at 11:51 AM
@Skubiszewski: “Seriously THERE IS NOTHING TO BE DONE!!!!
With respect… Incorrect!!!
@Skubiszewski: “Any suggestions?
As .22 suggested above, use the available competition. Wherever and wherever possible. Take a risk! (Gasp!!!)
Is your Internet provider LIME? Try Freemotion / TeleBarbados / Sunbeach…
Is your Cell phone provider LIME? Try Digicel…
Is your long distance provider LIME? Try Blue Communcations (www.blue.bb), Digicel, TeleBarbados… Or use VoIP.
The Company does not listen to its customers, or (frankly) the “legislators” nor “regulators”. (The quotation marks in this paragraph are *very* intentional…)
They *do*, however, listen very closely to Adam Smith’s “Invisible Hand”…
Just look at the (telecommunications) situation in Jamaica for empirical proof of this… Jamaicans know how to stand up!
I will have more to say to this tomorrow. But now I have some actual work to do….
Chris Halsall // December 9, 2008 at 11:53 AM
Sigh…
In the Geek: s/Wherever/Whenever/
I miss having human editors proofing my language….
Krzysztof Skubiszewski // December 10, 2008 at 12:01 AM
@ Chris Halsall
None of your suggestions lead to any improvement by C & W.
My only complaint is poor Internet performance. And nobody on the island currently offers anything better than C & W.
I have taken professional advice to force C & W to reduce their Internet charges to me. And they have agreed.
A concrete step we all can take.
It’s not an improvement in service either but it shows they know they’re not performing.
TeleBarbados Upgrades Broadband Solution « Barbados Underground // December 10, 2008 at 12:32 AM
[...] Many Barbadians seem clueless as to what their options are in the circumstances. BU family member Chris Halsall has been like a stuck record in his repeat that Barbadians who are dissatisfied with LIME’s [...]
.22 // December 10, 2008 at 3:20 AM
This is a test as Far as I can go.
2:16am.
http://www.speedtest.net/result/370284548.png
Internet was slow as hell until 2am in the morning where the speed bumps back up and then down again.
YAWN! Time to switch providers when we can ‘afford’ our final alternative.
*good night*
ROK // December 10, 2008 at 9:10 AM
Krzysztof Skubiszewski
That is good news. I trying that today self… but let me ask you something, you is a NAZI? That may be the difference with me getting through?
ROK // December 10, 2008 at 9:21 AM
Even the LIME voice answering 1-800-804-2994 is really penetrating. Need to cut down on the treble..and then every twenty seconds the voice comes back for ten seconds saying “all our agents are still busy. Please continue to hold. Your call will be handled in the order it was received”.
Quite annoying. As if it is driving you to hang up. Been holding on for some time now. Hear that voice about 25 times already.
ROK // December 10, 2008 at 10:41 AM
Report
The Customer Rep. at 1-800-804-2994 in St Lucia, told me that it may be the ADSL filter problem. She said I should try unplugging my phone and filters and plug directly into the line feed (direct supply) and see if the problem continues. She said I should unplug all the extensions and filters.
That not being satisfactory, I called 292-5050, stated my problem and asked to speak to somebody in Barbados. The Operator put me through to the PA of the CEO and she gave me a number to call directly to the person who seems to be assigned to deal with this problem.
I called the number and got an away from my desk message. I left a message and as soon as I get through I will give a further update and hopefully a direct link to BU family to ask for a rebate for the poor service. At least this would be a good way to protest.
Krzysztof Skubiszewski // December 10, 2008 at 10:51 AM
@ROK
What’s a NAZI? I know what a Nazi is.
BU has started a campaign to get C & W sorted out. By withholding payment to them.
Here’s what I wrote on that subject.
@BU
Excellent idea to withhold payment. That’ll bring C & W to their senses.
But continue paying for the landline “service” so they can’t cut us off for non-payment.
Withhold only the Internet connection charge and send C & W an email to their “help” address stating exactly why you’re doing it.
And keep at it until we get what we’re paying for.
ROK // December 10, 2008 at 11:25 AM
What’s the “help” address? Why send us searching for it? Or maybe I missed something.
Withholding paymeny may mean that you get your internet service cut at any time. I prefer the negotiation for the rebate. Will let you know how it turns out.
NAZI, Nazi, nazi… trying to be smart I see.
Krzysztof Skubiszewski // December 10, 2008 at 12:07 PM
@ROK
Not trying to be smart. We Polish people aren’t crazy about people who throw that word about.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nazism
Bitter Limer // December 11, 2008 at 1:26 AM
@ technician….BIG FAT STUPSE
I am a LIME customer but let me tell you something if at any time I do not get proper service from them I does work to suit. I DO NOT PAY for what I DID NOT GET. Simple. You pay for a service, if you do not get it you are entitled to a credit. Why the hell should I protect your money for you? I protect my money for me. If customers don’t do the same DAT SUIT.
YOU!
@ technician …What fat pay out what? You obviously think I am a highly paid technician like you were. My job done axe I have nothing to save and I aint gine home wid shit so stop assssuming! The only evidence I have is the same as the average customer….common sense..if something don’t work good, it can’t be no good. The problem is with bajans that dem does talk too much and dont do shit. You guys call and complain and bitch in my ears for 15 mins, knowing full well I am no help to you and at truth be told the end of the day I pretending to care over the phone but I really dont give a damn, while listening to you I rolling my eyes cause I tired listening to yuh and just want you to shut to hell up and put down your phone cause I know when de due date hit yu gine and pay de bill and all de shitey service wunna getting next promotion LIME got you in dem stores lining up like dem giving way money at de booth. Stupse!
I just said what I said to help open wunna eyes cause wunna like wunna blind as piss.
ROK // December 11, 2008 at 2:31 AM
Krzysztof Skubiszewski
Sorry, but you have a lot not to be crazy about. I really asked about the help address and you send me a link to nazism. Not interested in being a nazi.
David // December 11, 2008 at 3:40 AM
Will Prime Minister David Thompson be able to save jobs? Maybe while he is at the negotiating table he should send some other messages to LIME. They do have an ethical responsibility to show more care to our region which has generated enormous profits for them over the years.
ROK // December 11, 2008 at 7:04 AM
These are indicators that C&W and now LIME really care nothing about people. They do not care about their staff and even less about their customers.
Anybody with excess would back down at Xmas time. So even the Xmas spirit which they say they embrace, eludes them.
I can only conclude that we are being tricked by C&W. We continue to be raped by this entity. At a time when everybody everywhere is feeling the economic pinch, this company is not just adding to inflation, but sitting fat; a lot of free money; yes largesse; that is one thing they cannot deny.
Technician // December 11, 2008 at 7:35 AM
@ Bitter Limer…
I have stayed away from this issue on the blogs for a reason but when you come here whining about your employer now that shit has hit the fan, I cant help but to call you out on the nonsense you are talking.
Even if you are the maid (which I doubt, as they are contracted) you would still be paid out generously.
From you tone, it seems to me as though you thought you were in for something extra but got nothing, which fits most kiss ass employees at LIME anyway.
All you have done with your pathetic whining is highlight the same complaints by most bloggers here.
Maybe while at LIME, you should have used the time to further your education so that now you would be ready for a new chapter in life.Many seemed to think that they would be there until retirement.
You say we call and complain and bitch in your ears ……that is the nature of your job son….if you didnt like it, why didnt you leave?
If you wanted to enlighten the public, any number of opportunities were there without you having to identify yourself.
BU was around for a while, so too BFP…Letters to the Nation..etc.
One can understand your frustrations of losing your job at this time but dont tell me you are not going to be compensated fairly and equally for your time spent……you see,my friend……..you are preaching to the choir here !!
Technician // December 11, 2008 at 7:39 AM
@ David…
Workers were also sent home when the profits were $120 million too.
This issue of sending home started at C&W 10 years ago.
KoolBarbados.com // December 11, 2008 at 9:00 AM
This isn’t a perfect solution to the C & W non-Broadband solution but I’ve found using different browsers helps for web-surfing.
The latest Firefox is spectacular. Opera is great too.
And for speaking clearly to people wirelessly there’s always Sk?pe and a great download called VoxOx.
Bitter Limer // December 11, 2008 at 9:59 AM
@ Technician…”Maybe I should have used my time there to futher my education” I can assusre you technician, I may most likely have more qualifications that you my dear.
Having just completed my masters degree my seperation could not have come at a better time. I did not leave simply becuase I was waiting for my lovely package with plenty trimmings lol.
You see I am very young and I am a lady stop referring to me as a man…. I had no intentions of staying there much longer but you seem to think I am here talking because I am bitter about leaveing, maybe that was the case with you but not with me. We young people don’t have the same, stay until you are 60 in a company mentality.
I am just here to state to show that most of the customers that whine about service contantly are just a pure annoyance because they still do nothing about it. Customers need to start acting as if they have some kind of value and if they don’t like the way they are treated they should leave.
Technician // December 11, 2008 at 6:32 PM
@ Bitter Limer…….RLMAO!!
I guess your Masters has nothing to do with Customer Care then!!
When you can call the complaints of customers who have no real other option or recourse for bad service whiners, it shows me your mentality.
You came on this blog and berated people for doing what is expected and you scoffed at them when it is your job to at least give then the feeling that there is help coming, that is my issue with your contributions.
You state that the customers ‘are just a pure annoyance’. That is the same attitude that has LIME where there are now.
What do you expect if you are paying for a service every month and it is crappy?
Everyone does not has the same recourse.
To the elderly with a POTS line, paying with their pension, what should they do for alternate land line options?
I guess to you these old folks are nuisances for calling you when their line is noisy.
Just so you know…..be careful about trying to reassure me….you will be pleasantly surprised.
If one was to go by your handle and your contributions………..duh?
All the best in your future endeavors .
TheTrashHeap // December 11, 2008 at 6:35 PM
Ok guys its 5:30 and I am now throttled down to 1/4 the speed I am paying for.
Chris Halsall // December 11, 2008 at 6:42 PM
@TheTrashHeap: “Ok guys its 5:30 and I am now throttled down to 1/4 the speed I am paying for.
And, so, what do *you* do? Right *NOW*.
Do you whine? Do you LIME?
Do you call your provider and complain? (“Operators are standing by…”)
Or do you make efforts to change to another provider?
The choice is yours…
Do please tell what *you* do….
bitter Limer // December 11, 2008 at 7:52 PM
@ technician
Actually LIME’s landline service is not that bad. That is the one thing that they are good at landline and perhaps mobile. The internet needs major work. No my masters had nothing to do with customer care actually. Yes they are an annoyance, no one knows how it feels to hear on average 200 irate customer a day. You wonder why I would call them an annoyance? Yes it is annoying for me and to anyone who does this kind of job… not because they dont deserve to be heard YES they do, they are of the highest value to the company. But Customers always have options my friend…ALWAYS! But they are too busy playing victim to see.
ROK // December 11, 2008 at 8:25 PM
bitter limer
You have an option besides BWA to get a water supply? Do you understand the word monopoly? It is this said monopoly that has the telecoms market grossly inflated and competitors at their wits end.
C&W knows it can put you to hear customer complaints without giving you the authority to satisfy the customers because they know their customers have nowhere to go… but let me tell you that their time running out and just as they fold up all over the world, they will fold up here too.
That is why they liming now. Trying to rake in the sweets before the inevitable. How can you tell me that you making things better after you made them worse by sending home over 1400 workers and now looking to send home a further 250?
JC // December 12, 2008 at 2:05 AM
I didn’t know so much people were going home. Leh we start walking this is SHITE!
Technician // December 12, 2008 at 7:16 AM
@ Bitter Limer…
……Actually LIME’s landline service is not that bad. That is the one thing that they are good at landline and perhaps mobile.
—————————————————————————–
Huh??
Compared to who?
Haiti?
Technician // December 12, 2008 at 7:21 AM
How do you think the ADSL gets to your home?
If the plant is bad , then the ADSL wont work. This is where a lot of slow speeds and dropouts are also coming from.
New technology and old plant is just window dressing .
Ever wondered why your POTS line crackles at night but clears up during the day?
ROK // December 12, 2008 at 12:38 PM
JC
That music sound sweet, sweet, sweet.
TheTrashHeap // December 15, 2008 at 2:00 PM
Chris Halsall : I am tired calling and complaining. The losers claim that they have no idea what I am talking about. Telebarbados needs to upgrade their speed to compete with Lime first though.
Chris Halsall // December 15, 2008 at 3:27 PM
@TheTrashHeap… Could you elaborate a little?
Just who are “The losers”?
And why does TBB “need” to upgrade their speed?
Connectivity is about more than just “speed” — it is also about reliability.
I, personally, did my first year of University at 300 baud. Bidirectional.
My second year I upgraded — I was at 1200 baud. (For context, 300 baud is 0.3 kb/s.)
And I was *very* productive.
Fundamentally, it’s not the size of your “pipe” that matters, but rather how you use it…
And its reliability….
Chris Halsall // December 15, 2008 at 9:02 PM
@All… My apologies, my immediately above was slightly wrong…
300 baud includes a “start” and a “stop” bit for every character (read: byte, or eight bits). AKA 8N1.
Thus, I actually did my first year at 0.240 kb/s…
Technically, when I upgraded to “1200″ , I was actually using “600 baud”, with two bits being transmitted per baud. (Two possible symbols.)
In modern terms, this means I was running at 0.960 kb/s.
Please note the “0.xxx” kb/s above is now exactly correct… I therefore sometimes laugh when people complain about their connection speeds.
“In my day, I used to have to walk uphill to school! Both ways!!!” [wink]
Using the full-screen editor on the front-end of the IBM 360 mainframe of my school, I used to be able type code faster than my dial-up connection could refresh my display….
.22 // December 16, 2008 at 5:41 AM
We need both and not just reliability… for customers.
*sigh*
If we want to throw two birds in one stone.
ROK // December 17, 2008 at 10:16 AM
Report 2
After seven days of waiting, I finally got a call back from C&W. I was told that they have to make checks so they have to send out somebody.
However, I was also told that if the fault is on my premises, they will bill me on my next phone bill.
So my question to the lady was, is this how you get people off your back by threatening them with extra charges so you can continue with your bad service? I ended up by telling her that I did not care what she did but I will not be accepting any charges.
That is after she told me that they will not be sending out anybody unless I agreed to pay. I did not agree on principle. I therefore have to think through this another way. Maybe I should have agreed because everything is theirs, including the new filter they supplied.
JC // December 17, 2008 at 10:36 AM
ROK so is there nothing you can do at all?
ROK // December 17, 2008 at 11:03 AM
There is always something that can be done. Just have to think it through. Right now I have to work on getting the evidence. May need some help from the gurus like Chris.
For example, they said the last recorded drop out from my phone was 11th December. Since then I have been disconnected/dropping out too numerous to count. I need to be able to find the data recording the dropouts. I’m sure it is somewhere here on the computer.
The problem with agreeing to pay is that they may come and say it is at me. Then I will be telling them it at them. Meanwhile, they may cut off my line for non-payment of the extra charges. I don’t need that drama. Let me find another way.
Chris Halsall // December 17, 2008 at 11:31 AM
@ROK: “So my question to the lady was, is this how you get people off your back by threatening them with extra charges so you can continue with your bad service? I ended up by telling her that I did not care what she did but I will not be accepting any charges.
Of *course* this is how they constrain customer’s complaints. They threaten that it could cost *money* if the fault is not past their “demarcation point”.
My counsel to you and all: call their bluff!!!
Now, some more knowledge on the situation…
As part of the “telecoms liberalization process”, C&W agreed to “allow” customers to provide their own Customer Premise Equipment (CPE). Read: phones, fax machines, modems, et al.
However, as part of this agreement, C&W negotiated a “demarcation” point. This is a small grey box outside of each customer’s premise where the cables “interconnect”. Everything to the “outside” of this box is C&W’s responsibility, everything “inside” is the customer’s. This is actually a “good thing”.
However, it *does* mean, again, that the customer is responsible for a quality “network” (read: wiring and CPE) within their own premises.
Thus, there is a “non-zero probability” that the problem is actually within the customer’s domain of responsibility. *HOWEVER*, the statistical likelihood of the problem being instead in the C&W domain is *much*, *MUCH* greater.
(One need only look around at the “utility pole” network to accept that this is likely…)
If one wished to be *absolutely* sure that the problem is with the C&W nettwork, what do you is this:
1. Open the demarcation box (you are allowed to do this — they’re designed such that the customer can open half of the box with standard tools. The C&W side needs a “special tool” (which, frankly, just about any geek has — it is not “sealed” like the BL&P demarcation points).
2. Disconnect the copper pair leading into the premises.
3. Attach a brand new cable (CAT5 or a single twisted pair or untwisted pair — doesn’t really matter).
4. Run this new cable to a *single* device (read: your ADSL router).
5. See if the problem still exists.
Let me please tell you that I *know* (and have documentation) that the C&W technicians will point to every possible reason why the problem is within the customer’s domain.
If you do have a C&W technician out, ensure they run the tests from the demarcation point, with the customer’s “network” disconnected. *Observe* the testing. Confirm, and ask for a copy of the “Signal to Noise Ratio” (SNR) number, “Run Distance” (RD), et al their devices report.
Again, my fundamental point: call their bluff!
ROK // December 17, 2008 at 1:05 PM
I see that to call their bluff is the way but I need to know how to proceed when they get here. So thanks for the above.
Would you say though, that there may be minor technicalities that they could throw at you in order to throw you off and get you to concede?
What test would they run? Suppose during the test run, there is no drop-out or disconnection of any sort? Are there indicators from the tests that would tell you if the service is likely to dropout and what are they?
Experienced // December 17, 2008 at 6:52 PM
@ ROK ,
First you must constantly call customer care , they are required to log ALL calls , so therefore it shows the severity of the situation, they will log a report , if it is not cleared /rectified within the specific time allocated by the FTC you WILL receive a rebate.
You need to request a loss of service , that’s what it is called , take down the times & dates you made reports , also who you talked to ,through customer care , they are systems that can trace EVERYTHING . Mine you they are many customers who state they were not able to connect but the system proves otherwise ,If your query is genuine , the credit will be applied on your following bill .
Experienced // December 17, 2008 at 6:54 PM
not to mentioned you will be told this sh*t now because ALL calls are being answered in St.Lucia and customers are being misinformed !
Experienced // December 17, 2008 at 6:59 PM
You make the report , A technician is sent out to your residence, If the problem is internal , you have the option to choose either a personal tech of your choice or a tech from c & w , if C & w is chosen then a cost is attached to it ,They will advise you of those charges . You are not advised of the charges before the tech visits and confirms the problem is not coming from there end .
Technician // December 17, 2008 at 8:15 PM
@ Chris….
You said….’If you do have a C&W technician out, ensure they run the tests from the demarcation point, with the customer’s “network” disconnected. *Observe* the testing. Confirm, and ask for a copy of the “Signal to Noise Ratio” (SNR) number, “Run Distance” (RD), et al their devices report.
This could prove futile as the technician uses a Dynatel tester, which does not print and unless you understand electronics, the information will be like Greek to the average person. I cant envision any LIME technician showing a customer his test readings either.
Signal to noise????
They dont even waste time on that test, it will fail everytime.
The most tests done will be a resistance, capacitance, voltage (should be 48v dc for an idle line) and then a TDR which shows high resistance as ‘dip’ and ‘opens’ as peaks.
Your advice on the cable from the NID (demarcation box) makes sense and ROK should try this as soon as possible. I would advise him to use one pair of a Cat5e cable to do this test, run it for a couple days and record any dropouts.
On another note, when seeking a tech for your personal issues, you should always make sure that they are Goverment Certified. There is a list of all at the Telecommunications offices next to BET in Wildey.
Chris Halsall // December 17, 2008 at 8:33 PM
@Technician: “This could prove futile as the technician uses a Dynatel tester, which does not print and unless you understand electronics, the information will be like Greek to the average person.
It *doesn’t* matter if the testing device doesn’t print. Nor that most people won’t understand the results. The technician is there to take empirical readings. These readings will have to be recorded somehow, even if it’s written down on a sheet of paper.
What *does* matter is that the technician provides the results to the customer, and knows that this is being recorded.
I’ve found that people get a *whole* lot more serious when they know they’re actions are being recorded…
@T: “I cant envision any LIME technician showing a customer his test readings either.
Then the customer should ask for the technician’s supervisor’s contact details, and inform said technician that said supervisor will be contacted for an official copy of the results.
This posture should be communicated the moment the technician arrives on site.
ROK // December 17, 2008 at 8:34 PM
The Technician called this evening. After a little pow-pow with him, he said that he will bring along his laptop and do some tests.
Worst of all, the techie said that he was not aware that so much people had problems with adsl. I was trying to find out from him, if so many people have similar problems, is he going to solve mine by visiting me?
In terms of charges, they did inform about charges if the fault was found to be on my premises. I reminded him that all the equipment that I am using is weeks old and came from C&W. He said that warranty on the equipment was a year and did like Chris and drop it there; like ‘pick sense’. He is therefore supposed to come at 9 a.m. tomorrow.
Chris Halsall // December 17, 2008 at 8:36 PM
@Technician: “On another note, when seeking a tech for your personal issues, you should always make sure that they are Goverment Certified. There is a list of all at the Telecommunications offices next to BET in Wildey.
I’m personally not so convinced that being “Government Certified” is all that important, but it doesn’t hurt…
Also, FYI, the Telecommunications Unit has moved into the Government Building in Warrens. Has been there since mid 2007.
Chris Halsall // December 17, 2008 at 8:43 PM
@ROK: “Suppose during the test run, there is no drop-out or disconnection of any sort? Are there indicators from the tests that would tell you if the service is likely to dropout and what are they?
This is an issue…
You see, many people encounter problems with the “last mile copper” during and after rain. If it hasn’t rained for a while, everything may be fine when tests are done.
Not quite sure how to deal with this issue, short of recording diligently any issues as and when you encounter them, and try to correlate them to rainfall.
Technician // December 17, 2008 at 8:50 PM
@ Chris…..
Thanks…havent been up there since 2004.
Being certified is a plus when it comes to telephony.
I had a client who got an electrician to wire his house for 2 lines. The guy used 4 wire instead of 2 pair.
While his wife was on line1 with her girlfriend, he was on line 2 with the ‘outside’ woman. Wifey heard the whole conversation. A certified tech would have known the difference.
Some people see the wiring as just 2 wires but with ADSL added now, it is better to have someone who knows about wiring…..thats all.
Technician // December 17, 2008 at 8:56 PM
@ ROK….
You can do a check and see if your line is noisy also as this can be a contributing factor.
Dial 429-1111, move the handset from close to your ear, wait until the tone stops and listen for a while to your line for any hums, crackling or scratchy sounds.
Chris Halsall // December 17, 2008 at 9:00 PM
@Technician: “Wifey heard the whole conversation.
Now *THAT’S* funny!
Perhaps the Telecommunications Unit can use it in an advertising campaign… (wink.)
Technician // December 17, 2008 at 9:03 PM
LOL……wasnt so funny to hubby though, he called me at 5:30 the next morning in a panic.
ROK // December 18, 2008 at 11:46 AM
The technician just left. The only fault he found was with the modem, which is the new SE587.
He said that it should normally take a millisecond for the modem to respond. He said he found the modem taking as much as 500 milliseconds to respond. Therefore after testing speed, etc. his conclusion is that the modem itself maybe faulty.
Hi advice is to take the modem to Windsor Lodge and have it exchanged. I bet I get a modem with similar or more problems if I do that.
Technician // December 18, 2008 at 6:26 PM
Did he do all the necessary tests from the NID??
Did he give you the results?
Did he use the yellow tester in the black case?
Chris Halsall // December 18, 2008 at 6:43 PM
@Technician… (LOL)… To follow your lead…
Did he not have replacement CPE immediately available to test with?
Did he not have replacement CPE (which he himself concluded is likely to be at fault) to leave with you, taking the “bad kit” back???
Oh, no… You now need to go down to Windsor Lodge… And stand in line… And hope they have the kit… And are willing to provide it to you, based on the tech’s report (which of course he left you with a copy of…)
“We LIME… It’s in our job description…”
ROK // December 18, 2008 at 7:07 PM
He did a noise test. He also did a speed test. A mime (?) test (this was to test the modem response).
I did not see a yellow kit. He came with a computer. He did not leave a copy of the report. He did have a sheet he was supposed to fill out but wrote nothing from what I saw.
He said that he is not allowed to travel with customer equipment. He gave me a reference for when I get there to tell reception.
I showed him the post here on BU. He read some of it but I think he made a note of the BU address. I suspect he will be reading.
Chris Halsall // December 18, 2008 at 7:21 PM
@ROK… @Technician… @All..
FOTFL…
@ROK: Did you at least get the tech’s name? And his supervisors name? Correct?
@ROK: He said that he is not allowed to travel with customer equipment.
So when, exactly, did CPE become thermonuclear? (Perhaps LIME isn’t telling us something…)
@ROK… Thank you for this exercise… It demonstrates *very* clearly LIME’s actual posture towards their customers….
ROK // December 18, 2008 at 7:59 PM
Yes! Got the names.
I suspect that even for something as small as that, LIME does not want to be liable. One of those tactics when you know you ain’t coming clean.
Lord Ryan // December 30, 2008 at 11:32 PM
switching from lime and going to telebarbados in the new year and best of all i dont have to pay for a land that i hardly ever use, only put in the thing so i can get adsl but with telebarbados i would be online and best of all i would not have to use lime at all here is there # 246-620-1000
JC // December 31, 2008 at 12:10 AM
I glad Lord Ryan did this I will call that number tomorrow!
Disturbed Employee // January 25, 2009 at 3:00 PM
Thanks Lord ryan
David // January 25, 2009 at 3:24 PM
We have received a note from a BU family member that we should read the LIME ad on page 33A Sunday Sun. What are they trying to say? Should Barbadians log on to a website? The ad is unclear.
Luke // March 26, 2009 at 1:33 PM
cable and wireless doesn’t operate this way in the UK anymore. They have a susidiary company they acquired that provides home/consumer broadband. Other than that, they are only in the wholesale and enterprise (5000+ employees) and pulic sector. They hardly have any reason to be on an intiative like this code of practice. Their SLA’s are much stronger, and contractually enforeceable by their end users.